About 30 minutes later, the San Diego Police Department’s ABLE helicopter was struck by the laser near East 4th Avenue. According to police, the laser strike illuminated the cockpit and the crew was forced to protect themselves.

In that September laser strike, the pilot and an observer were able to pinpoint the source of the laser strike to a small group of people seated in front of a house in the 500 block of South T Avenue. Officers arrested suspect Anthony Sheperd, who was in possession of a green laser and later admitted to shining the laser at the police helicopter.